Cost of Glory

Alex Petkas

The most influential biographies ever written, admired by leaders, creators, soldiers, and thinkers for nearly 2,000 years: Plutarch’s Parallel lives. Essential listening for anyone striving after greatness. Alex Petkas, former professor of ancient philosophy and history, revives and dramatically retells these unforgettable stories for modern audiences. The subjects are statesmen, generals, orators, and founders; pious and profane, stoics and hedonists. The stakes bear on the future of Western civilization. The cost of glory is always great. Visit costofglory.com to find out more. read less

Our Editor's Take

The Cost of Glory podcast seeks to find the answer to one grandiose question. What does it take to achieve something that gets remembered by later generations? This is no small feat, and the people who achieve it are some of the most impressive figures in history. Alex Petkas, the podcast host, wants to explore what those people were like and what they valued.

In Cost of Glory, Petkas retells the biographies of the most famous Greeks and Romans. These are individuals like Pericles, the Athenian statesman. Or Cato the Stoic, who fought for the liberty of the Roman Republic. Of course, he can't skip over Romulus, who founded Rome, and Alexander the Great. These stories have inspired leaders, thinkers, and creators throughout history. Shakespeare, Napoleon, American founding fathers, great composers-they all admired these figures.

But the philosopher Plutarch also thought that biography could help anyone become sharper and wiser. It could teach people how to be more effective in life. That approach is what Petkas employs in his podcast.

For years, Petkas was a professor of ancient history and philosophy. But now he works in the business world. So he approaches these biographies as a tool for practical insights. He analyzes the stories and the people and sees what worked for them and what didn't.

On the way, the host shares other wisdom and insights from ancient philosophy. He reveals ancient life practices that he finds useful. But his main goal is for the listeners to hear and enjoy these stories of tragedy and triumph. They're some of the best stories ever written and lived. The Cost of Glory podcast has new episodes several times per month.

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HistoryHistory

Episodes

85 - Pompey III: Fields of Pharsalus
Apr 30 2024
85 - Pompey III: Fields of Pharsalus
Life of Pompey Part 3 of 3: Pompey's final rise to the heights of Roman power, his war with his friend Julius Caesar, and his final downfall.  People:(M. Tullius) Cicero (Titus Pomponius) Atticus C. Julius Caesar Cn. Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) Julia, Caesar's Daughter (M. Licinius) Crassus (L. Domitius) Ahenobarbus - Optimate Stalwart (Cos. 54) (M. Porcius) Cato "The Younger" - the Stoic (M. Calpurnius) Bibulus - Cos. 59 P. Clodius Pulcher - Populist Thug lord (T. Annius) Milo - Pompey's Thug lord M. Caelius (Rufus) - Cicero's young political analyst friend Publius Licinius Crassus - The Richest Man's Son Cornelia - Pompey's final wife (Q. Caecilius) Metellus (Pius) Scipio - Pompey's new Father in Law Aulus Gabinius - Pompey's friend, exiled after Egyptian expedition Ptolemy XII Auletes ("The Piper") - exiled king of Egypt (C. Scribonius) Curio - Optimate turncoat, Caesar's tribune M. Antonius (Mark Antony) M. Claudius Marcellus - Optimate stalwart (Cos 51) C. Claudius Marcellus - Optimate stalwart (Cos. 50, cousin of Cos. 51) M. Favonius - "Stamp, Pompey!" Senator Themistocles - Athenian statesman Camillus - 4th c. BC Roman statesman T. Labienus - Caesar's general, deserted to Pompey (M. Junius) Brutus - Future Conspirator Theophanes of Mytilene - the Historian Crassianus - Caesar's centurion at Pharsalus Cratippus of Pergamon - Philosopher at Mytilene Ptolemy XIII - Boy king of Egypt Potheinus - Ptolemy XIII's Eunuch Achillas - Ptolemy XIII's General Theodotus - Ptolemy XIII's Rhetoric Teacher Philippus - Pompey's freedman   Places: The Roman Forum The Tiber River Parthia Carrhae (Battle of) - in Mesopotamia (Parthian Empire) Gaul (Mod. France) Pompey's Theater ("Temple of Venus") Alesia (Battle of) - in Gaul Naples (Neapolis) Ravenna (N. Italy, "Cisalpine Gaul" then) Rubicon River Ariminum (Rimini) Corfinium - Italian town in the Apennines Brundisium - Eastern Port in Italy Dyrrhachium (Mod. Durrës) - in Epirus (Rom. province of Macedonia) Thessaly - large plain in central Greece Pharsalus - town in Thessaly Tempē - Valley in Thessaly Mytilene - City on island of Lesbos  Thanks to our sponsor Intercollegiate Studies Institute! www.isi.org.  Check out their programs on supporting quality thought and intellectual life in and after your college years.
84 - Pompey II: Empire of Venus
Apr 9 2024
84 - Pompey II: Empire of Venus
Pompey becomes Rome’s greatest conqueror, and empire builder, but faces even greater trials back home in Rome.  People Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, "Pompey the Great"Sulla Felix, the Dictator Pompey The Pirates Posidonius the Stoic Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus Lucius Licinius Lucullus Cicero, the Orator Manilius, the Tribune Julius Caesar Theophanes of Mytilene Queen Monime Tigranes the Great of Armenia Tigranes the Younger, Prince Albani(ans) of Caucasus Iberians of Caucasus King Phraates of Parthia The Parthians Antiochus XIII, Seleucid King Aretas, King of the Nabatean Arabs Aristobulus of Judea Hyrcanus of Judea Aulus Gabinius Josephus (Jewish Historian) Marcus Licinius Crassus, Richest Man in Rome Marcus Porcius Cato (the Younger) Metellus Celer Metellus Nepos M. Calpurnius Bibulus Publius Clodius Pulcher, Slum Lord Milo Julia Domitius Ahenobarbus  Places Sicily Sardinia Corsica North Africa Rhodes Cilicia Cappadocia Galatia Armenia Artaxata  Mt Ararat Sophene Syria Bithynia Pontus Caucasus Colchis Albania (Caucasus) Iberia (Caucasus) Bosphoran Kingdom (Crimea / Azov) Damascus Petra (Arabia) Judea Jordan River Valley Jericho Jerusalem Campus Martius Alban Hills / Lake / Villa Luca Image: The Triumph of Pompey, Gabriel de Saint-Aubin, 1765. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art Thanks to our sponsor Intercollegiate Studies Institute! www.isi.org.  Check out their programs on supporting quality thought and intellectual life in and after your college years.